The National Hockey League team announced Friday that Quenneville will not return for a fourth season behind the Avalanche bench.

“After meeting with Joel, we mutually agreed that the best decision for both parties involved is to go separate ways,” Avalanche executive vice-president and general manager Francois Giguere said in a statement.

“On behalf of the organization, I want to thank Joel for his years of service and wish him the best in his coaching career.”

Quenneville, whose contract expires in June, led the Avalanche to second place in the Northwest Division with a record of 44-31-7 this season.

However, after eliminating the Minnesota Wild in six games in the first round of the playoffs, the injury-ravaged Avalanche were swept by Detroit 4-0 in the second round, including a lopsided 8-2 loss in Game 4.

In three seasons behind the Colorado bench, Quenneville was 131-92-23.

The Windsor, Ont., native will almost surely become the front-runner in speculation regarding the open Toronto Maple Leafs' head coaching job. The Leafs fired Paul Maurice on Wednesday after two seasons.

In Quenneville's first season, 2005-06, the Avalanche were 43-30-9 and lost in the second round of the playoffs, while last season, despite finishing the season with 95 points, the Avalanche failed to make the post-season.

Quenneville also spent parts of eight seasons as head coach of the St. Louis Blues. He has one of the best winning percentages among active coaches with a .592 mark, posting a record of 438-283-77.

In his playing days, Quenneville was drafted by the Leafs in the first round in 1978. The defenceman played 93 games over two seasons before being traded with Lanny McDonald to the Colorado Rockies for Wilf Paiement and Pat Hickey.

Quenneville played 13 seasons in the NHL and returned to the Leafs organization in 1991 as a player-assistant coach with St. John's.